Monday, June 7, 2010

the post-vacation rundown

I'm back from vacation and I have a lot to talk about, and I'm not sure I'm going to be able to say it all at this particular moment. So, then, the short versions:

1. Red Dead Redemption was amazing, and among the other superlatives I could throw its way, it has (possibly) the most satisfying ending I've ever seen. I'd have to think about it a little just to make sure, but, I mean, GODDAMN.

2. Alan Wake was good, but not quite as good as it could've been, and its ending was as WTF as any I've seen. Some games take themselves a little too seriously; this game might be near the top of that particular list. Let me also say that for a game that goes out of its way to instill a sense of dread, the beyond-creepy facial animation is a nice (albeit unintentional) touch.

3. Does it mean that I have no soul if I admit that I can't really get into, or care about, Super Mario Galaxy 2? What if I qualify that by mentioning that I never had a Nintendo system as a kid, thus stripping me of any Mario-related nostalgia? I still probably have no soul, right? Figures.

4. Picross 3D is one of the best DS games ever made, and I"ll be a little bummed out when I finish it (which will probably happen by mid-week).